Her blue eyes swim with tears on my screen. “Don’t cry, baby. We’ll figure it out.”

“I just can’t quit on this tour. It would be career suicide,” she says, tucking her hair behind her ear.

She’s so beautiful. All I want right now is to touch her, taste her, love her, but I have to wait.

The farm experienced a huge blow this week. Someone cut the fence, and we lost about a third of our herd. If I didn’t have to talk to another investigator today and insurance adjuster tomorrow, I would be on a plane right now.

“And I can’t come to you.”

She rests her cheek on her fist. “Any luck on the herd?”

“No. Trent hasn’t really had a crime since he’s been the sheriff so he’s no help.”

Emily laughs. “I’m sure he’s all excited to do some real police work.”

“Well, if he can call it that.”

He tries his best, but I’m thinking he got his training from watching cop shows on television. Even Wyatt makes fun of his brother half the time. I know finding whoever did it is a long shot, but replacing a third of the herd is going to cost me a fortune. Hopefully, our insurance will cover most of it.

“Hold on, honey. Someone is at the door.” Emily puts the phone down, and I hear a deep voice in the background. Her face fills the screen a few seconds later. “Wade wants to talk to us,” she says, holding the phone so I can see both of them.

This can’t be good.

It’s been five days of quiet. I’d hoped…

“We had another delivery. This time it’s a file with photos.” He clears his throat and looks directly at Em. “I want you off this bus right now.”

“What?” she asks.

Wade takes the phone from Emily. “I’ll send you an email in ten minutes. I’m going to secure Emily and then I’ll fill you in.”

Anger, fear, and nervous energy floods me, demanding I get answers now, but I nod in agreement. Emily comes first.

“Get her safe, and I’ll be waiting for your call.”

Chapter Twelve

Emily

I’m shivering. No matter how many blankets Vince and Luke wrap around me, I can’t get warm. My fingers are frozen, and I can’t breathe.

He had a video camera in my bedroom.

“You’ll stay with us,” Luke says, trying to reassure me. “We’ll add more security to your team as well. Whatever you need, Emily.”

I need Cooper.

Wade is on the phone with him now. Cooper’s too angry to talk to me. The photos were graphic. I was naked in each one. He has photos of me after a shower from two days ago. Pictures of me talking on the phone with Cooper. Pictures that, in the wrong hands, could destroy my life.

I look at Luke with tears falling down my cheek. “Why me? Why now? I haven’t done anything to anyone. I’ve never flirted or given the illusion I was lookin’ for something. I’m just tryin’ to sing.”

He wraps his arms around my shoulders and rubs a hand up and down my back. “This isn’t your fault.”

“How does this happen, Luke? How is this person getting access to my bus?”

Vince gets to his feet and starts to pace. “It’s someone on the crew.”

Luke nods. “It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

I curl my legs tighter to my chest and rest my forehead on my knees. There are so many guys on the crew that it could be anyone. My mind searches for anyone that stands out, but it’s just a sea of faces that all blend together. For the most part, they’re all quiet and don’t pay me much attention. My stage setup is basically nothing.

My band uses Luke’s equipment since it’s too expensive to tow our own, and I don’t have any fancy lights or backdrops.

“I should leave,” I say, wiping another tear.

“Leave?” Luke pulls back. “You can’t leave. We have two months left and you’re gainin’ traction on the radio. If you quit, what happens then?”

Not even an hour ago, I was telling Cooper the same thing. But that was before I saw those photos.

The door opens, and I jump. Wade’s eyes meet mine, his features softening as he sees my tears. “I searched the bus. We got everything.”

“I can’t…”

Wade looks at Luke with the anger back in his eyes. “I’m taking her to the bus. I’ll be interviewing everyone on this tour. There will be full cooperation from your people, right?”

Vince moves closer. Both Luke and Wade look ready to punch the other. “My people will look at the crew.”

“And if the guy we’re looking for is one of your people?” Wade’s chest puffs out. He’s much taller than Luke, and I’m pretty sure he could snap him like a twig. Luke has the good sense to consider this, but then his jaw clenches in denial and Wade digs harder. “Your team hasn’t done a damn thing to protect Emily. They’re supposedly prescreening her mail, yet this is the second package to make it through.”

“Second?” I look up. “What do you mean the second package?”

He doesn’t spare a glance at me. Wade points his finger at Luke’s chest. “I’m the lead on this from now on. Your team reports to me until we find out who this fucker is, got it?”

I stand, letting the blankets fall to the floor. “What do you mean the second package?” I yell, pushing my way between them.

“Not now.”

“I’ll give you not now! I want to know what the hell is goin’ on! Someone isn’t stalking any of you. This person is after me. None of you get to decide what information I get or not.” I glance at all three of them with frustration. How dare they keep things from me? I thought this was the first time in over two weeks.

“We’ll talk about it all later,” Wade says through gritted teeth, and he looks back at Luke.

I stare at him, waiting. “Now.”

Wade’s eyes drop to mine, and he huffs. It’s clear that he’s used to obedience, but I don’t care. I want answers. This information should never have been kept from me. “Fine. You got flowers, but I handled it, and Cooper and I agreed it was best to wait until we had something substantial.”

“Oh, you did, did you?” I spit the words at him.

Unreal.

I grab my phone and glare at Wade. “Since you and Cooper decide everythin’, why don’t I give him a call and he can tell me what exactly I’m allowed to know. You two are ridiculous.”

“Emily,” he warns, but I don’t care.

Before I can press send, a loud siren type sound blares through the radio on Wade’s belt. Panic splays on everyone’s face except his.

Wade looks calm.

Wade looks collected.

And he looks deadly as he reaches to silence the alarm without taking his eyes from me.

“What’s happening?” I ask.

“Stay here.” Wade grips my shoulders. “I mean it, don’t leave this trailer. I’ll be back.”

“I’ll stay with her,” Luke says.

He doesn’t look happy, but he’s already moving toward the door. “Don’t let her out of your sight,” Wade demands and then he’s gone.

I stand here with Luke, feeling sick to my stomach. The images in the photos fill my mind.

Me standing there, looking at my phone with a smile on my lips as I get dressed.

Just getting out of the shower, completely naked, my breasts completely in view as I pull my underwear on. Every part of me was on display for his enjoyment, and now people who never should have seen me that way now have.

“I know you’re upset.” Luke’s Southern twang breaks me from my thoughts.

“That’s an understatement.”

“Look, I promise you this is going to be handled.”

Keeping my eyes down, I release a heavy sigh. If only it were that easy. No one can put this genie back in the bottle. The truth is, I’m scared, angry, hurt, embarrassed, and so much more. All I wanted was to have people listen to my songs, not this.

“I appreciate it.”

“Luke, bring Emily to the stage! Now! Get off the fucking bus!” Someone yells as they bang on the door. I can hear people yelling to each other and fear floods my veins.

“Let’s go,” Luke urges.

“But,” I protest. Wade said to stay here. “He said…”

He grips my arm, pulling me to my feet. “What if there’s something on this bus?”

I get up willingly after he says that and let him drag me through the parking lot and closer to the stage. All the security lights are off, but just being away from the buses lets me breathe easier.

“You okay?” he asks as we climb our way to the stage.

“Not really, but what choice do I have?”

Luke nods. “I always feel better here,” he says as we reach stage left.

“What’s goin’ on out there? Do you know what the alar—” I get cut off by a loud bang.

“What the?” Luke says as he looks to where flashlights are moving around, and I can vaguely see the gate area where the majority of everyone is.

I move, trying to get a better view. “Luke? What was that?”

I swear I’m in the middle of some horrible scary movie. Lights, people yelling at each other, and it feels like it’s surrounding me.